Human trafficking case – Kidnapping of Andy Bistoquet   |11 February 2022

Two new charges against Soopramanien brothers, Gerard Bastienne

The prosecution team yesterday brought forward two new charges against the three Seychellois men and 11 Iranian nationals in the case of human trafficking involving Andy Bistoquet.

Bistoquet was rescued from an Iranian dhow in November last year during a joint military operation by the Seychelles Coast Guard in collaboration with the Indian and French navies.

He was reported missing since November 7, 2021 and later found onboard an Iranian dhow outside our exclusive economic zone.

The added charges imposed on the Soopramanien brothers ‒ Fabio and Dario ‒ along with Gerard Bastienne and 11 Iranian nationals include conspiracy to commit aggravate trafficking of a person, after agreeing to recruit, transport and transfer Bistoquet from Seychelles to an Iranian dhow to then be taken to Iran to be a drug guarantee, without him being informed of the reason for his travel.

Bistoquet was also drugged for his consent to being controlled, for the purposes of exploitation as a drug guarantee.

According to prosecution, the offence of trafficking was aggravated on account of Bistoquet being drugged and the offence being committed by an organised criminal group, comprising the Soopramanien brothers, along with Gerard Bastienne and unknown others in Iran.

The charges also include conspiracy to wrongfully conceal, or confine a person, knowing that the person has been abducted with intent to cause that person to be secretly and wrongly confined.

Based on evidence, around October 31 to November 15, 2021, the Iranian nationals agreed together with people known to the republic to wrongfully conceal or confine Bistoquet at places beyond Seychelles on board an Iranian dhow, to then be taken to Iran, knowing that he was abducted from Seychelles with intent to cause that person to be secretly and wrongly confined as a drug guarantee.

The accused will re-appear before the court on February 18.

In the other case involving the Soopramanien brothers and Bastienne, February 18 has also been chosen as the plea date for their drug-related charges.

The group was officially arrested in November 2021, after they were intercepted through a joint operation involving law enforcement and military agencies, allegedly in the act of committing drug-trafficking activities.

During yesterday’s hearing, the court was informed that attorney Basil Hoareau will no longer represent Fabio Soopramanien.

Lawyer France Bonte who is representing Bastienne in the case will now take charge of Fabio Soopramanien’s defence, while his brother Dario is being represented by Clifford André.

Roland Duval